Pope Leo XIV Calls for Faith Preservation in Secular Uruguay

A Call for Faith in a Secular State

Pope Leo XIV stood before 50,000 faithful in Florida, Uruguay, on Sunday, issuing a direct challenge to the nation’s citizens: preserve and transmit their faith despite a deeply secular environment.

Echoes of 1825

The sanctuary holds a weight of national history, housing the Virgin of the Thirty-Three, Uruguay’s patron saint. The Pope drew a line from the present to 1825, when men fighting for the territory’s independence entrusted their struggle to the Virgin. “Luchaban por la libertad de esta tierra acudieron también a María para poner aquel comienzo bajo su protección,” the pontiff noted.

“Aquel gesto nos recuerda que tampoco la historia de los pueblos se comprende del todo cuando se prescinde de Dios,” he added, remarking that from the country’s foundational hours, Uruguay remained intimately linked to the Virgin. He acknowledged that since that era, circumstances and the relationship many citizens have with faith have changed.

Uruguayan Women Maintain Religious Continuity Amid Shifting Demographics

The Pope’s message arrived in a country where religious affiliation is fragmented. Roughly 36% of the population identifies as Catholic, while approximately 29% describe themselves as atheist or agnostic.

He pointed to the women of Uruguay as the primary architects of religious continuity, crediting them for keeping faith alive in households that often lack broader societal support. “Gracias por haber creído y por haber mantenido abierto en tantas familias un camino hacia Dios,” he said.

Bridging the Generational Divide

Addressing the widening gap between generations, the Pope spoke directly to the pain of parents watching their children and grandchildren drift from the church. He invoked Saint Monica, the mother of Saint Augustine, as a model for persistent prayer, urging families to continue placing loved ones before God. He challenged parents and grandparents to lead through example, emphasizing that integrity and faith are not signs of weakness.

“Un hijo aprende mucho al ver que su padre puede arrodillarse delante de Dios sin sentirse menos hombre por ello,” he observed.

The pontiff urged the Church to move outward, demanding that members actively engage those who have distanced themselves rather than waiting for a return, declaring: “Uruguay: ¡hay que ponerse en camino! ¡Hay que entrar de nuevo en las casas, acercarse a las personas, escuchar sus preguntas y llevarles a Cristo!”

A Symbol of Independence

The mass coincided with the national pilgrimage to the site, and the Pope presented a golden rose to the Virgin’s statue. The 18th-century carving, of Guaraní origin, remains a cornerstone of the nation’s independence movement. This visit concludes a trip to Uruguay, a nation that has historically maintained a highly secularized public life.